Dance Academy: The Movie

"Subversive entertainment it ain't. But nor is this well-paced yarn - with pleasing albeit narrowly scoped performances from a perky cast - bereft of pleasantries and surprises."

"Grounded in a more realistic tradition of young adult fiction."

"Director Jeffrey Walker ... doesn’t mess around with the proven formula. Instead, he applies a dancer’s rigour to the steps we already know."

"The old-fashion story path navigated here (much of which takes place in the US) is a lot more downbeat and realistic about the plight of young performers than many viewers will expect. The movie as a whole is all the better for it."

"Dance Academy fans will already be on board for the feature-length continuing adventures of Tara and company, but newcomers will have a good time, too."

"Walker exhibits admirable restraint in the face of such potentially overwrought romantic tropes, refusing to milk the emotional moments, encouraging his actors to underplay the key scenes. The characters' self-deprecating humour also serves the film well."